After her reunion with Nebula, Canaris immediately traversed the boundaries between worlds to carry out her newly assigned orders. Given the factor of the pendant, she knew it was only a matter of time before others realized Nebula had returned and began to act. She needed to relay Nebula’s instructions with the utmost haste.
Her first stop was the domain of a deity she counted as a close friend—the one to whom she had entrusted the World Re-created by Canaris.
"Hello! It’s been a lon—"
"Whoa!?"
Before Canaris could even finish her greeting, the god lunged forward, gripping Canaris by the shoulders. She leaned in, her expression one of frantic desperation.
"Canaris! We’re friends, right? Best friends? I mean, I’m the one you trusted to look after the world you re-created, so we have to be close! That’s why you came to see me first, isn't it? Tell me it is!"
"Ah... yes. But um, your eyes are looking a little bloodshot..."
"Of course they’re bloodshot! I’ve been waiting for an eternity! Nebula-sama has been resurrected, hasn't she? By the time I realized what happened, you’d already crossed into Shallow Vernal’s World. I knew Nebula-sama would be furious if I caused trouble in Shallow Vernal’s World, and Shallow Vernal herself is terrifying, so I’ve been sitting here, patiently waiting! I’m not the only one, either. Every single one of us is probably waiting for you with bloodshot eyes!"
"Uwah... Hearing that just makes me dread the rest of my trip."
"Never mind that! Explain everything! Now!"
"U-Understood..."
Dreading the sheer intensity of her friend's pressure, Canaris detailed Nebula’s current situation, her intentions, and the commands she was to issue as her proxy. Once she had finished, the god finally released her grip on Canaris’s shoulders and nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"...I see. If those are Nebula-sama’s wishes, I will abide by them. I will... but I have to say one thing."
"What is it?"
"It’s totally unfair! You’re the only one who got to see Nebula-sama! I want to see her too!"
"I-I know... Believe me, I understand. If our roles were reversed, I’d be just as jealous. But before anyone else can visit, we have to wait a while and negotiate with Shallow Vernal."
"Fine. Since you came to me first, I should be the first in line to negotiate... but negotiating with Shallow Vernal... that sounds terrifying."
"I’ll give you a tip. If you bring along some romantic items or cultural exports from this world—things that help lovers get all lovey-dovey—the negotiations will go a lot smoother."
"...Huh?"
Canaris’s advice was spot-on, but to the listening god, it made absolutely no sense. She stood there with the same bewildered expression Canaris had worn during her own first negotiation with Shallow Vernal.
After a bit more conversation, the god suddenly spoke as if a realization had struck her.
"...By the way, I was so worried about Nebula-sama that I forgot to ask: were you actually able to stay calm when you saw her? There’s no way you were, right?"
"A-Ah, so you're going that way... I’m actually a little scared to tell you. But... well, as you might guess, I ended up sobbing uncontrollably right in front of her."
"Yeah, that sounds about right. I’d probably cry too. And you’ve always been especially..."
"And then—ehehe—Nebula-sama was so kind. She pulled me into a hug and patted my head while I cried."
"...What?"
"It was a moment of unadulterated bliss. I felt the full depth of Nebula-sama’s mercy. My happiness was at its absolute limit."
"..."
Hearing Canaris recount the event in such a blissful tone, the god’s expression softened into a gentle smile. She placed her hands back on Canaris’s shoulders.
"...I see. I’m glad. You’ve been suffering for so long, Canaris. If reuniting with Nebula-sama helped you release even a fraction of that pain, then I’m truly happy for you."
"R-Really? Um... why are your hands shaking? Your grip is getting a little intense... I think my shoulders are going to crack..."
"Yes. I truly believe you’ve had a hard time. And since I know how merciful Nebula-sama is, I suppose her actions make sense. However... don't you think that reward was a bit much? Actually, I’m so jealous I feel like I'm losing my mind. Would it be okay if I hit you once? It would, right? Great! Thanks! In that case, have a Galaxy Annihilation Punch!"
"I didn’t say it was okay!"
It should be noted that this deity, though a close friend of Canaris, was a Hardcore Nebula Loyalist. As she wound up her fist, she wept bloody tears of pure envy toward Canaris for having been hugged and comforted by their master.
Serious-senpai: "Their loyalty is for real, but the fact that they're restraining themselves from storming into Trinia makes me feel like the Absolute One's education was really thorough."